UPDATED: 12:43 P.M
UPDATED: MONDAY, APRIL 1ST
SEE JULY, 2018 THE "ENTIRE" PRESENTATION
PUT ON BY THE STARK COUNTY FOUNDATION FEATURING CANTON MAYOR THOMAS BERNABEI
RE: MARKET SQUARE PROJECT
IN THE APPENDIX SECTION OF THIS BLOG, ITEM# 3
Apparently, the foundations are not trying to "fan the fires" of acrimony as evidenced by its executive director's ignoring of a SCPR request for an "in depth" interview.
This blogger is disappointed in the non-response, however, the foundations are to be applauded for going public with the deficiencies in the downtown Canton Market Square project which is a normal approach for the foundations.
How the west side of 3rd NW & Market looks, more or less, today.
On July 24th, the projected "finished" look of the project (which the SCPR is told has changed from a $6 million project into being a $12 million project) was this.
The SCPR has asked Canton mayor Tom Bernabei for a current projected design (among a number of questions) should the $12 million materialize, to wit:
Tom,
In the foundations' letter, reference was made to that fact that Canton by virtue of recent voter approved income tax increase would be going into the CP project.
What portion of the tax increase is going into and/or is projected to go into the CP?
Moreover, what amount is the state of Ohio putting into the project?
Credible sources tell me that the project which is said to have started at $6 million is now projected to be $12 million. Is this report accurate?
Are there any drawings of the project as presently planned?
If so, please send me a copy.
Thanks,
Martin Olson/SCPR
This blogger thinks he is without parallel within Stark County political/government leadership circles.
Undoubtedly, he is under pressure by HOF enthusiasts to minimize the foundations' decision not to participate in Phase 3 of Market Square.
Bernabei is known throughout Stark County political/government leadership circles as a very exacting, demanding and thorough manager who brooks no sloppiness and insists that his support staff dig deeper with questions than most government officials do.
Despite his doggedness, most of his retinue of staffers enjoy working for him.
This blogger will be surprised if Mayor Bernabei does not live up to his reputation for transparency and subject himself to the thoroughness standards he applies to others on this inquiry sooner or later, hopefully sooner.
The major Stark County foundations, as mentioned in the first paragraph of this blog, have stirred up things regarding the financing/funding of the projected Pro Football Hall of Fame Village (HOF-VP) connection to downtown Canton.
For these foundations under the auspicious of The Stark County Foundation to send out such an email to the main players/government officials in leadership positions is unprecedented.
That the likes of Jack Timken, Chuck Hoover, Steve Deuble and Mark Samolcyzk to do such the means, the SCPR believes, at a deeper level of analysis, that there are a great deal unanswered questions that it has dawned on the foundation folks that the Hall of Fame leadership folks have not been forthcoming upon which likely has prompted the foundations to say to themselves: its time to back off our involvement in thing HOF-VP connected.
If the HOF-VP ends up going "belly-up" with having done very little other than build a "way over the top" $139 million (a conservative estimate; likely somewhere in the neighborhood of $175 million) stadium and athletic complex which HOF CEO C. David Baker himself once told Canton City Council that no private investor wants to invest in a stadium because there is no chance that there would be a return on investment for the investors.
Sounds roughly analogous to a project in Geneva, Ohio (called which (look at this Plain Dealer exposè (LINK) and this video description of the Spire Institute, which like the HOF-VP, is an athletics-centered project which appears to have difficulty generating a revenue stream beyond the complex itself because of who wants to go to Geneva, Ohio other than to see/use the complex facilities.
Like it or not, there is very little to see in Canton, Ohio and it appears to this blogger that the HOF-VP folks (chiefly CEO C. David Baker), Repository publisher Jim Porter and Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce chairman Denny Saunier are trying to force the Market Square project in a desperate attempt to make downtown Canton a draw to visitors the HOF which also close to an interstate roadway (i.e. I77).
We will know that real progress in downtown Canton becoming a tourist/visitor to the HOF destination, when we start seeing things like this in the local media.
Readers need to remember that David Baker generated what the SCPR believes he must have known that was "never, ever, going to happen," a spin about the NFL draft might be coming to Canton in 2020; the 100th anniversary of the founding of professional football with Canton being one of the charter members.
Even teaming up with Cleveland (where there is always something to do downtown) with the Browns, the Cavs, the Indians, the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, a number of theatrical productions and the like was not enough to attract the NFL to come to Cleveland/Canton.
But the NFL did consider the Cleveland/Canton proposal. If the Cleveland/Canton were to be successful, Canton was only in line to get the third day of the draft which practically nobody attends.
Is it any surprise that Las Vegas (perhaps, the entertainment capital of the world) bested Cleveland/Canton bid?
Getting back to the foundations' letter.
Here are some key excerpts from the March 14, 2019 letter emailed (obviously) to key players in Stark County leadership circles. (see appendix to this blog, item 1; also be sure to see (item 2 in the appendix) the entire presentation that the SCF/Bernabei made on Phases 1 and 2 on July 24, 2018)
WHAT PROMPTED THE LETTER? (telling excerpts which, in the opinion of the SCPR, appear to be directed at HOF officials)
The Timken, Hoover, Deuble and Stark Community Foundations have all received inquiries related to support of the Market Square/Centennial Plaza project in downtown Canton and those inquiries prompt us to share our position with you.
Various project concepts have been developed for Phase 3 over the years but all have been plagued by questions of
- appropriate scale,
- lack of community process and
- sustainability.
It is our hope, and the purpose for this letter, that ongoing private fundraising for Phase 3 does not impact:
- the willingness and generosity of individuals and companies to support
- existing and important community development programs and
- capital campaigns and fundraising efforts.
Note: SCPR restructured excerpts from the Foundations' emailed letter of March 14, 2019 for emphasis sake.
APPENDIX TO THIS BLOG
ITEM 1
Mark Scheffler
Executive Director
Timken Foundation
March 14, 2019
Subject: A message from Stark County foundations: Centennial Plaza
Greetings!
The Timken, Hoover, Deuble and Stark Community Foundations have all received inquiries related to support of the Market Square/Centennial Plaza project in downtown Canton and those inquiries prompt us to share our position with you.
Those of us who lead the largest community foundations see real value in the ongoing transformation of the Kresage lot into Centenial Plaza that potentially draws people downtown and allows us to showcase ongoing downtown development. At the same time, it will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of professional football born a few blocks away. A vibrant downtown Canton is critical to regional development which is why our foundations have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Canton throughout our existence.
Canton Centenial Plaza project has received foundation support for the design and planning for Phases 1 and 2. These first phases are being funded by the increased city income tax as well as funding from the State of Ohio. Phase 3 of the project, however, will not involve our financial support. Various project concepts have been developed for Phase 3 over the years but all have been plagued by questions of appropriate scale, lack of community process and sustainability. The current plan as presented has nearly doubled the original cost of the project and lacks the detail related to financial structure, project management and accountability that would traditionally be required for funding of community projects of this scale.
More than 40 years ago, community leaders with a vision for Canton/Stark County created a process by which large capital drives were evaluated to determine how best to allocate foundation and community resources. The Capital Campaign Committee structure, through the guidance of the Stark Community Foundation, was adopted for this purpose. In the case ofhe Centennial Plaza project, the failure to address the aforementioned issues in a timely fashion, and the avoidance of the vetting process that has served the community well for many years, may have an adverse impact on funding for other proposed projects.
We find ourselves in an unusual situation as for many years we have supported community projects of this scale. Those initiatives, however, have succeeded through collaboration, consensus, and respect for process and have had a lasting impact locally in areas of education, health care, housing and the arts. They have advanced because of a broad cross-section of individuals within the community who are passionate, reasoned, well-intended and are able to accept dissent just as well as consent. Community development comes in a variety of forms but never reaches it potential when a single purpose is served at the expense of others.
It is our hope, and the purpose for this letter, that ongoing private fundraising for Phase 3 does not impact the willingness and generosity of individuals and companies to support existing and important community development programs and capital campaigns and fundraising efforts.
Jack Timken, President
The Timken Foundation of Canton
Chuck Hoover, Chairman
The Hoover Foundation
Steve Deuble, Chairman
George H. Deuble Foundation
Mark Samolczyk, President & CEO
Stark Community Foundation
Mark Scheffler
Executive Director
Timken Foundation
ITEM 1
Mark Scheffler
Executive Director
Timken Foundation
March 14, 2019
Subject: A message from Stark County foundations: Centennial Plaza
Greetings!
The Timken, Hoover, Deuble and Stark Community Foundations have all received inquiries related to support of the Market Square/Centennial Plaza project in downtown Canton and those inquiries prompt us to share our position with you.
Those of us who lead the largest community foundations see real value in the ongoing transformation of the Kresage lot into Centenial Plaza that potentially draws people downtown and allows us to showcase ongoing downtown development. At the same time, it will celebrate the 100 year anniversary of professional football born a few blocks away. A vibrant downtown Canton is critical to regional development which is why our foundations have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Canton throughout our existence.
Canton Centenial Plaza project has received foundation support for the design and planning for Phases 1 and 2. These first phases are being funded by the increased city income tax as well as funding from the State of Ohio. Phase 3 of the project, however, will not involve our financial support. Various project concepts have been developed for Phase 3 over the years but all have been plagued by questions of appropriate scale, lack of community process and sustainability. The current plan as presented has nearly doubled the original cost of the project and lacks the detail related to financial structure, project management and accountability that would traditionally be required for funding of community projects of this scale.
More than 40 years ago, community leaders with a vision for Canton/Stark County created a process by which large capital drives were evaluated to determine how best to allocate foundation and community resources. The Capital Campaign Committee structure, through the guidance of the Stark Community Foundation, was adopted for this purpose. In the case ofhe Centennial Plaza project, the failure to address the aforementioned issues in a timely fashion, and the avoidance of the vetting process that has served the community well for many years, may have an adverse impact on funding for other proposed projects.
We find ourselves in an unusual situation as for many years we have supported community projects of this scale. Those initiatives, however, have succeeded through collaboration, consensus, and respect for process and have had a lasting impact locally in areas of education, health care, housing and the arts. They have advanced because of a broad cross-section of individuals within the community who are passionate, reasoned, well-intended and are able to accept dissent just as well as consent. Community development comes in a variety of forms but never reaches it potential when a single purpose is served at the expense of others.
It is our hope, and the purpose for this letter, that ongoing private fundraising for Phase 3 does not impact the willingness and generosity of individuals and companies to support existing and important community development programs and capital campaigns and fundraising efforts.
Jack Timken, President
The Timken Foundation of Canton
Chuck Hoover, Chairman
The Hoover Foundation
Steve Deuble, Chairman
George H. Deuble Foundation
Mark Samolczyk, President & CEO
Stark Community Foundation
Mark Scheffler
Executive Director
Timken Foundation
ITEM 2
ITEM 3
Mayor Bernabei's initial response to SCPR's seeking of comments about the Foundations' email, to wit:
Thomas Bernabei <thomas.bernabei@cantonohio.gov>
To: Martin Olson
Mar 18 at 3:04 PM
Hi Martin,
I am in receipt of the letter/email from the Foundations referenced in your email to me. The Foundations have been supportive in providing grants for design development for the Centennial Plaza/Market square project and I thank them for that.
I have met with the leadership of the Foundations to keep them apprised of the status of the project.
I am very appreciative of the extraordinary work which the Foundations do in Canton and Greater Stark County in helping so many important projects and needs. I well recognize the many demands on their resources; in view of that, we have not intended nor have we asked the Foundations for capital funding for Centennial Plaza.
The City has a close working relationship with the Foundations which is continuing.
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